Electric Shower - extend the wires?

[LadyUK]

We had an old electric shower in the house that leaked, and we never used it and used a mixer tap instead. The point is fully up to scratch, has a seperate switch and all, we just never used it cause it leaks.

Well, the mixer tap doesnt get send out much hot water anymore, and we decided to relace the existing electric shower.

Well, we got a replacement one to put in, then just realised the power cables arent long enough for the new unit - and to make matters worse, the wires are not in conduit and seem to be tiled into the wall.

The replacement is the same spec (8.5) and we have all of the correct fuses and wires, but they are too short.

Is there anyway that I can extend the wires?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[sparkyspike]

Can you get the cable into the shower unit so that the outer insulation can be clamped in the cable clamp, but the conductors are too short, or can you not even do this?

 

[LadyUK]

The earth is probably the ONLY wire that is long enough, maybe just.

They are just tooo short.

I have tried pulling on the wires a bit and chiselling the wall around them to loosen them with no luck - the fuse isnt in so no power worries LOL!

Would a waterproof cable joint sort this out?

 

[LadyUK]

I am also considering running a conduit from the ceiling switch down the wall, completly disconnecting those wires, and running new ones.

 

[Steve]

LadyUK, thats how we did it. Run a length of round white conduit from the ceiling to the shower, and seal around the top and bottom of the conduit. Run the new cable down this.

 

[JohnD]

If the cable has been plastered in, and come down from the ceiling, chip away a bit of tile and plaster going upwards from where it sticks out of the wall. Then you can free the extra length. I imagine that your repaired wall and new tile will be behind the shower fitting when you fix it.